Forget Barcelona. Say sayonara to San Fran. And so long, London. Post-Covid, Lisbon has become a hub for the creative, hungry and cosmopolitan. A throng of new restaurants, wine bars and buzzy co-working spots has formed a playground for the young and ambitious.
They’re squeezing every last drop out of their free time, too, joining the tourists in thumping nightclubs before escaping to beautiful beaches. But plenty of weekend visitors don’t know (or have time to discover) that the city is flanked by bucolic countryside, dotted with world-class hotels and agriturismos. A forty-minute drive can take you to pristine white sands, enchanting pine forests, retro beachfronts and sprawling national parks. Next time you’re in town, tack a road trip onto your city break. Here’s my pick of the best places to eat, drink, sleep, hike or happily do nothing at all.
Comporta
At first glance, this sleepy freguesia sandwiched between rice paddies and clear, blue sea, seems unremarkable. Locals chain-smoke and read newspapers on plastic chairs outside small pubs and seafood grills. Horses trot by on dusty streets. But open the fridge inside a newsagent, and you might find Champagne. Pots of caviar. Neon kaftans coming in at $400.
The jet set is here, but in hiding. And that’s rather the point. Stars like Carla Bruni, Nicolas Sarkozy and Madonna (her son played for Benfica youth academy) vacation here, sequestered away in stylish, whitewashed villas, occasionally stealing out in dark sunglasses for a fresh fish supper.
Where to stay: Quinta da Comporta
There’s a handful of hyper-luxurious hotels in the area, with Quinta da Comporta boasting the best spa facilities and an impressive wellness program. A fully-equipped gym is housed in a beautiful wooden barn structure, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto working rice fields; that can be explored by electric bike, should you feel like it.
A swim-through door takes you from the cosseting indoor pool to blazing sunshine, so you can work on your tan while doing laps. Just across the way, the excellent restaurant Mar d’Arrozal sits under more recovered wooden beams, where Chef João Sousa draws on local flavors. A beautiful horta (vegetable garden) fans out from the building, providing much of the produce for each dish, plus the long list of healthy smoothies and juices.
Rooms are effortlessly cool, inspired by Comporta’s traditional bungalows. Detached private rooms, “townhouses” and pool villas share a natural theme, allowing the beauty of the surroundings to take center stage. Garden sunbeds look out onto fields or rice paddies, and huge, sunken baths beckon guests to wash sandy toes. Think Ibiza, without the noise.
Book it: Quintadacomporta.com
Where to eat: Sal
In a jaw-droppingly beautiful new location at Carvalhal Beach, beloved restaurant Sal’s timeless quality can still be found. Fat shrimp, simple tomato salads and flavored rice, washed down with the country’s excellent wine selection. Simple. High quality. Über local. Perfect.
Book it: Restaurantesal.pt
Where to stay: Almalusa Comporta
An hour and a half’s drive from the center of Lisbon, Almalusa is the epitome of chilled. Read, sleep, eat and soak up the sun — but if you prefer to keep moving, a small program of yoga and dance classes run every few days, and there’s some great golf to be played nearby.
Your hire car will afford you access to miles of the incredible Alentejo coastline. Load up with tuna cucumber wraps and pastries from the AlmaLusa Café and book in for some beginner’s surfing lessons. A short drive home will be rewarded with sundowners and undulating views at the RoofTop Bar.
Back in the (fifty-three) rooms, decorations are crafted by local artisans with traditional and locally-sourced materials. High-speed Wi-Fi is available (though I strongly suggest you don’t use it), and huge LG Smart TVs will distract from your holiday reading, before you doze off in a sun-kissed slumber.
Book it: Almalusahotels.com/comporta
Where to eat: Sublime Sem Porta
Fifteen minutes’ drive from Almalusa lies Sublime Comporta, the glitziest hotel in the area. Home to the exclusive “Food Circle” fire-cooked dining experience (book months in advance), this is the spot to mark special occasions. Tables at Sem Porta are easier to come by, and the food quality upholds the same sky high standards. Chefs get creative with freshly-picked ingredients from the kitchen garden, menus everchanging with the seasons. You might try Crustacean cream soup, Alentejo beef tartar or Portuguese beef “Chuleta.”
Book it: Sublimecomporta.pt
Sesimbra
Around twenty-five miles south of Lisbon proper, you’ll find a hiker’s paradise in Sesimbra. The Sierra de Arrabida National Park is teeming with trails perfect for guided hikes and mountain biking, with stunning coastal views. The jutting cliffs of Sierra do Risco offer a formidable viewpoint. Weather not on your side? Explore the area’s rich connection to the sea at the Maritime Museum, or go heavy on wine tastings in Setubal, twelve miles to the east of Sesimbra.
Where to stay: Villa Epicurea
Inspired by the philosophy of Epicurus’s garden, this leafy refuge in Serra d’Árrabida was developed with its visitors’ well-being in mind. Like the garden of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, the eco-hotel prioritizes everyday pleasures.
An ecologically-sustainable infinity pool offers breathtaking views of the surrounding greenery and the sea, while a yoga pavilion provides a serene space to check in with yourself. Off-season, this place really shines, as the cozy living room-cum-kitchen hosts convivial home-cooked meals of excellent quality. Make friends with other guests, choose local wines from the honesty cupboard and play board games long into the night, before rising early for a country walk or jog.
Great care is taken to reduce the environmental impact of the hotel. Sustainable resources are used wherever possible, from the construction of the houses themselves to the usage of natural energy. Fun fact: all the room amenities are homemade and organic — even the bed linens.
Where to eat: Villa Epicurea
The delightfully-named concept “Mother left dinner in the oven” means you don’t have to go out at all. Simply pre-book a fabulous homemade meal — made with seasonal Portuguese ingredients, what else? — and you’ll find it ready to warm up, whenever you’d like it.
Book it: Pt.villaepicurea.com
Cascais
Recently coined “the Hamptons of Portugal” and “the Portuguese Rivieria,” Cascais has long drawn a discerning crowd for elegant weekends by the water. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries you could find the Portuguese aristocracy and (exiled) European monarchs here; now you’re more likely to bump into crypto bros taking a break from the fast life in Lisbon, or celebrities dining in the handful of chi chi restaurants.
You can easily grab a taxi or drive from central Lisbon to enjoy Cascais for the day, but sleeping over is a real treat — plenty of time to explore the plethora of museums, wander the coastline, hire a bike to cycle the area’s rugged cliffs and order a double scoop at historic Santini ice cream shop.
Where to stay: Artsy Cascais
Opening earlier this summer, Artsy Cascais’ reviews are in: and they’re good. Very good. A design-led former palace, it’s somewhat unsurprisingly all about the art. The exterior façade of the modern wing is taken up by a fascinating mural by urban artist Alexandre Farto, AKA Vhils, AKA “the Portuguese Banksy.” Interiors mix and match contemporary and classic, paintings and prints. Staff do their utmost to give you a pleasant start to the day, serving a hearty breakfast laden with homemade pastries and breads. Important: there’s a state-of-the-art rooftop pool it’s difficult to tear yourself away from. And, also good to know: the hotel doesn’t feature single-use plastic. In-room products are locally produced and presented in refillable bottles.
Enjoying a convenient location on Avenida Dom Carlos I, the hotel wows with epic views of the Bay of Cascais. Within walking distance to the waterfront and many of the best museums, you’re left with plenty of time to sunbathe on Guincho Beach, then slowly get ready for dinner at the hotel’s excellent Art restaurant. Round off an evening at vibey neighborhood joint Hifen, trying local wines and petiscos while watching a fat sun melt into the sea.
Book it: Artsycascais.com
Where to eat: Mar do Inferno
Family-run and much-lauded, Mar do Inferno. Punch “Boca do Inferno” (Hell’s Mouth) into Google Maps and you’ll be rewarded with a surprisingly heavenly destination. You won’t forget the dramatic waves battering the cliff face this magnificent restaurant teeters on. Get the Clams à la Bulhão Pato. And plenty more of that local wine.
Book it: Mardoinferno.pt
